It seems as though many of my readers don't know how to use the comment editing buttons so I thought to do a post and tell you how they work.  If you get confused, send me an email at gmroper (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll try to help in any way I can.

Let's start with just the plain old comment page and her is what it looks like:

Please note the preview button, it is always helpful to preview before you post.  At least when it works that is. 

In this next photo, you will note all the buttons in the upper left hand corner of the comment editor.  These are used to BOLD, ITALICIZE, UNDERLINE, STRIKE THROUGH, turn words into ^SUPERSCRIPT OR _SUBSCRIPT in that order.  I've place those buttons in brackets for your reading pleasure:

 The next set consists of two pictures, the first is how to change the font color to say RED

And the next one is how to change the background color of your word or sentence. Here you go:

 This last picture is how to use the link tool that will convert a word(s) into a link 

The process is simple, at the very top click on the down arrow and select "http://" in the box beside it, type in the URL without the http part:  here is a sample gmroper.mu.nu OR if you want, in the top left block type in the whole URL like this http://gmroper.mu.nu and the whole thing will appear as a link.

 One last thingy; if you want to use blockquotes you have to copy and paste them from the source you want to use and then use BB coding.  This is a set of brackets [ ] with the word blockquote in the middle of the brackets.  Don't forget to use  /blockquote in the brackets at the end of what you want to quote.  if you do this [blokquote]This is the section that I want to blockquote and when blockquote is spelled correctly, it should look like what you see below (and yes, I deliberately misspelled blockquote so my program wouldn't hide the BB code[/blokquote]. 

This is the section that I want to blockquote and when blockquote is spelled correctly, it should look like what you see below (and yes, I deliberately misspelled blockquote so my program wouldn't hide the BB code

There, I hope this helps anyone with enough patience to read through this.  Thanks for being a commenter.

GM

Posted at 08:38 AM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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Immediately to the right of this post, you will notice my old elephant with a new twist. The American Flag behind the elephant. That was done by the brilliant Espella Humanzee and I'm delighted with it. Thanks Espella! By the Bye, Espella has his prediction up for 2006. I can't help but agree!

Posted at 07:40 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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As Roger L. Simon noted: Bravo!! (read the whole thing.)

Posted at 08:07 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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A good friend of mine, The Real Ugly American (click on the link, there is some good reading there) went on vacation and asked me (and another dude) to put up a few posts for him while he was gone. We both graciously agreed to do so, then found out that we were gonna root for different teams for the National Collegiate Football Championship. Well, that started a rivalry and below is my latest entry in that rivalry.

Not very long ago, I posted this graphic of the University of Texas Longhorn, with TEXAS superimposed above it:

Not willing to let things slide, some worthy, but ultimately losing USC fan posted on this very same blog this graphic:

Kind of puny as graphics go, only 150 pixels wide and a mere 200 tall. Nothing like my robust 250 pixel wide and 225 pixel tall graphic of the GREAT TEXAS LONGHORN

But I digress. The real reason my worthy (but ultimately gonna lose fellow conservative and otherwise brilliant) blogger bud posted such a small graphic is because if you enlarge the graphic to where you can see what is going on, you see this:

You really can't blame him though, who wants to publicize that the TROJAN mascot is rooting for TEXAS?

As I said, mosey over to The Real Ugly American and when TRUA comes back and enjoy his blog, he and his blog buds have some great reading (but you be sure and come back now, ya' hear?)

Posted at 03:04 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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A UMass - Dartmouth College student claimed to have been visited by Homeland Security agents, who were investigating him for wanting to check out Chinese Communists Mao's "Little Red Book" from the library. The timing was perfect to help sabotage the vote on the Patriot Act, and Ted Kennedy jumped on it faster than he could swim. From the WSJ Opinion Journal come this report with this follow-up. It seems as if the story was false, but the Senator is sticking by it as "fake but accurate."

Federal agents' visit was a hoax: Student admits he lied about Mao book

The UMass Dartmouth student who claimed to have been visited by Homeland Security agents over his request for "The Little Red Book" by Mao Zedong has admitted to making up the entire story. The 22-year-old student tearfully admitted he made the story up to his history professor...after being confronted with the inconsistencies in his account. ...His basic tale remained the same: The book was on a government watch list, and his loan request had triggered a visit from an agent who was seeking to "tame" reading of particular books. He said he saw a long list of such books.

The story's release came at a perfect storm in the news cycle. Only a day before, The New York Times had reported that President Bush had allowed the National Security Agency to conduct wiretaps on international phone calls from the United States without a warrant. There was an increased sense among some Americans that the U.S. government was overstepping its bounds and trampling on civil liberties in order to thwart future attacks of terrorism. The story of a college student being questioned for requesting a 40-year old book on Communism fed right into that atmosphere.

Oh, it's so touching that the lying student "tearfully admitted" to the truth.

But, before the truth came out, how did the Senior Senator from Massachusetts use the story for political purposes? Here's what he said in an op-ed:

On wiretapping, Bush isn't listening to the Constitution, By Edward M. Kennedy

Think of the chilling effect on free speech and academic freedom when a government agent shows up at your home -- after you request a book from the library. Incredibly, we are now in an era where reading a controversial book may be evidence of a link to terrorists. Something is amiss here. Something doesn't make sense. We need a thorough and independent investigation of these activities. The Congress and the American people deserve answers now.

Well, I think we have the answers you wanted, Senator. Now, how about an apology? Here's how that was handled:

It's Mao or Never

Here's the actual Kennedy response as reported by the Globe: "Laura Capps, a Kennedy spokeswoman, said last night that the senator cited ''public reports" in his opinion piece. Even if the assertion was a hoax, she said, it did not detract from Kennedy's broader point that the Bush administration has gone too far in engaging in surveillance."

Okay, the Senator fell for the hoax and didn't check it out because it furthered his attacks against the President, but when confronted with the truth it still didn't matter, because his statements were correct even if supported by lies. Is Dan Rather his ghost writer?

Oh, and the student? Here's the university's position about the student, his lies, and the effect on our country: "He needs attention, he needs care. I feel for the kid. We have great concern for this student's health and welfare." and "We consider this to be an issue to be handled faculty member to student. We wouldn't discuss publicly any other action. Student discipline is a private matter." Do you think that the student learned a lesson here? Do you think that it's the right one?

The next time that some Democrat or liberal is telling you that Bush lied, consider the source.

Posted at 05:10 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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It's just too bad that we had to invade Iraq under a Republican president. Otherwise, the Commander in Chief would enjoy the support of the predominant media. But, would Clinton have gone into Iraq under similar circumstances as President Bush? Well, here's what some "main stream media" journalists had to say about that in this article and as reported below.

Appearing on "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert this week, two broadcast veterans, Tom Brokaw of NBC and Ted Koppel, agreed that the press shouldn't be faulted too harshly for not questioning more deeply the claims of WMD in Iraq -- and declared that Bill Clinton would have gone into Iraq just like George Bush if he was still president after 9/11.

RUSSERT: And (Ted Kennedy and Sen. Byrd) were not questioning whether Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

BROKAW: No. No. No.

RUSSERT: That seemed to be a uniformly held belief.

BROKAW: Right. Yeah.

KOPPEL: Nor did the Clinton administration beforehand.

BROKAW: No.

KOPPEL: I mean, the only difference between the Clinton administration and the Bush administration was 9/11.

BROKAW: Right.

KOPPEL: If 9/11 had happened on Bill Clinton's watch, he would have gone into Iraq.

BROKAW: Yeah. Yeah.

I'm sure that there is some explaining or clarification due on this before these two "fine" reporters are ostracized by their fellow journalists. Of course, you would never know that Clinton would have gone into Iraq by the way he speaks now. It sure must be nice to sit on the sidelines making judgements on Iraq and appearing so wise after the fact.

Posted at 04:20 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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One of the more conservative blogs employing biting humor (and oh so correct 99.999999% of the time) is Espella Humanzee. A fellow Texan and for sure a caustic wit (yesterday's post is a great example). Scrolling down his site early this morning, I came across a sidebar graphic that I thought was so accurate it was worth putting on my blog as an entry. Some of my more "lefty" type readers won't get it or if they do, they will be insulted (hey guys, you can't be insulted when your friends tell you the truth), but the vast majority of my thinking readers will. If you doubt the veracity of the graphic, just go to the sites indicated (no, I won't provide a link to garbage sites.) Heh! more...

Posted at 01:49 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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My friend Seth, over at Hard Astarboard is angry at the New York Times, as all thinking individuals are and he links his story to the always interesting Michele Malkin. But, Seth says it better than ever I could:

No, New York Times, We're Not Done With You Yet...
...and we won't be until everybody in America knows what a lying, treasonous, shameless, bogus, idiotarian, leftist propaganda generating, thoroughly liberal-biased source of disinformation you have become, abusing the reputation you earned back in the days when you were a respectable newspaper.

Columnist and blogger extraordinaire Michelle Malkin puts in her two cents, as succinct and on-point as always.

Posted at 12:23 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Once again, my coffee in hand and a smile on my face, I was scrolling through the blogosphere and chanced on a favorite site, The Winds Of Change. There, I came across this delightful takeoff on the Night Before Christmas. It was so good, I had to share it with you! It may be a day or two late, but it is well worth it. By the way, if The Winds of Change isn't on your regular reading list, shame on you!

'Twas the night before Hanukkah
and all over the place
There was noise, there was kvetching
Soch ah disgrace!

The Kinderlach, sleeping,
uneasily felt
The chocolate rush
from the Hanukkah gelt

And me in the easyboy,
so stuffed with latkes,
I stretched the elastic
which held up my gatchkes

When up on the roof
(and it has a steep pitch)
A fat alte kakker
was making a kvitsch.
I jumped up real quick
and I ran to the door,
Was it a bandeet,
or only a schnorrer?

He wasn't alone;
he had eight ferdelach,
And called them by name
as he gave a gebrach:

"On Moishe, on Yankel, on Itzik, on Sam,
On Mendel, on Shmendrik, on Feivush, on Ham;
My kidneys are kvelling;
do you give a damn?"

He had a white beard
and payyes to boot,
And to keep out the cold,
he had such a nice suit!

A second from Peerless,
I could tell at a glance,
But the cut was okay,
and so were the pants.

He was triple XL,
a real groisser goof,
So I yelled out,
"Meshuggener! Get off from Mein roof!"
He jumped down and said
as he shook hands with me,
"Max Klaus is the name.
You have maybe some tea?"

So I gave him a gleisel,
while he shook his white mop,
Mutt'ring, "Always the same thing,
They're dreying my kopp!"

From Vancouver to Glace Bay,
Outremont to Reginek,
Every shmo in the world
hakks meir a cheinik!

They're screaming for presents,
and challah with schmaltz,
And from Brooklyn alone,
the back pain, gevaltz!"

So we sat and yentehed,
and we spun the old dreydels,
(He took all of my money,
and one of my kanidels)

He said, "Business is not bad,
a living I make,
But I'm getting too old
for this Hanukkah fake;

And the cell phones, you see
how my pacemaker dings?
For two cents I'd quit,
and move to Palm Springs!"

And he gave a geshrei
as he fled mit a lacht,
"Gut Yontiff to All,
Vey is Mir, Such a Nacht!"

(Author Unknown)

Posted at 01:37 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Hillary is silent! What's that you say? Hillary, the mouth, silent? Ann Althouse suspects that Hillary knows that speaking out against the wire-tapping of folks here in America calling friends perhaps associated with Al Qaeda is a losing proposition. Could be!

Hillary didn't get where she is by being dumb (although she is, from my point of view, nowhere near as brilliant as she and everyone else thinks she is - shrewd perhaps, but not brilliant). The fact of the matter is, as a commenter on Althouse noted:

"Scarcely anyone will admit to it, but most people are perfectly willing to sacrifice a little freedom for security. The revelation that the government is taking proactive measures against terrorism - even ones which may well be illegal, if not unconstitutional (see Orin Kerr's comments here) is reassuring. Of course, most people are also aware that there is something socially unacceptable about admitting ass much, but when you vote, it's just you and a ballot paper, and I think people get pretty honest about what they think when they vote."

A tip of the GM Chapeaux to Ann Althous and the Instapundit

Cross Posted at The Real ugly American

Posted at 11:52 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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-- G.M. challenged me to answer The Meme of Four, so here is my best attempt:

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Taking our garbage cans to the street, picking up bread and milk on the way home, representing my wife in traffic court (and winning), and defending Ronald Reagan against liberals.

Four movies you could watch over and over: Just intellectual movies with messages like Pee Wee's Big Adventure, National Lampoon's Vacation, Smokey and the Bandit, and especially these Jane Fonda films.

Four places you’ve lived: As "lived" can have more than one meaning...a golf course along the ocean, going parking as a teenager, 1971 road trip to New Orleans, and as an electrician in Colonial America in my former life.

Four TV shows you love to watch: Star Gazer, Winky Dink with samples here, Girls Gone Wild infomercials, and the Charlie's Angels show where Farrah Fawcett wore that cute swim suit.

Four places you’ve been on vacation: I take vacations one hour at a time at work.

Four websites you visit daily: Microsoft Help Page, GM's Corner, HTTP 404 - File not found, and this science fiction site.

Four of your favorite foods: Any meal picked up by a client, ketchup, pralines, and Dippin' Dots.

Four places you’d rather be: The future, the White House, further from Neverland Ranch, and age eighteen again with what I know now.

Four albums you can’t live without: Only the ones that I use for drink coasters. Not this one, probably not this one, not this one, certainly not this one, and REALLY not this one .

I hope this cleared up any questions and gave you more insight into how I think. Satisfied, G.M.?

Posted at 07:00 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Who would have thought that a petite blond US Military Sergeant handing out gifts in the Phillipines would be part of the War on Terror. But she was, she is and it is.

Posted at 07:31 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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My Gawd, I hope he isn't looking at TEXAS!

Posted at 07:01 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I don't do memes. I think they are frequently silly, time wasters and only occasionally funny. So far, I've passed on about 10 chances to participate, but this one was passed on to me by my blogfather Marc Cooper. Now, talk about the Odd Couple, Marc is a cussed, obstinate progressive with a superb ability to write, unfortunately what he writes about doesn't make any sense to a thinking individual (But hey Marc, you know I love you right?) On the other hand, I'm sure Marc feels pretty much the same about the things I write. That being said, I'll answer his Meme and Pass it on to Dr. Pat Santy who writes the marvelously readable Dr. Sanity. Are you listening Pat?

Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Gas Station Jockey, Retail Clerk in a Men's Clothing Store, Soldier, Counselor!

Four movies you could watch over and over: The first three Star Wars movies. The Lord of The Rings, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Greatest Story Ever Told!

Four places you’ve lived: Stuttgart, Germany; Alexandria, Virginia; Fort Amador, Canal Zone, Republic of Panama; San Antonio, Texas!

Four TV shows you love to watch: Oz; C.S.I.; Hill Street Blues; Boston Legal!

Four places you’ve been on vacation: (Other than Paris; Rome; Madrid; London): St. Petersberg, Russia; Stockholm Sweden; Bermuda and Jamaica!

Four websites you visit daily: My blogroll; Instapundit; Opinion Journal; and The Wide Awakes

Four of your favorite foods: Peanutbutter, Lettuce, Tomato and Miracle Whip sandwiches; Babyback Ribs; tenderloin steaks; any Mexican Dish!

Four places you’d rather be: On a deep sea fishing trip; on a cruise with my beloved wife; Las Vegas; exploring any ancient ruin!

Four albums you can’t live without: Any Mannheim Steamroller; Any Buddy Holly and the Crickets; The Kingston Trio, from the Hungry i; Sergei Rachmaninoff - The Complete Collection!

If you would care to leave your own answers in the comment sections, please feel free to do so!

Oh, and Woody has to do an Entry too (not a comment Woody - you don't get away that easy)

Posted at 09:30 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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